Friday, February 24
Winston-Salem, N.C.
2:00 p.m.

Wake Forest University

6-0

18
vs
2

Mount St. Mary's

5-1

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Mount St. Mary's
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
3
2
Wake Forest
4
1
3
2
6
0
2
0
X
18
18
0
Coach Walter 800 wins

No. 4 Wake Forest Moves to 7-0 with Pair of Friday Wins

2/24/2023 9:57:00 PM | Baseball

Wake Forest’s 18-2 win over Mount St. Mary’s marked head coach Tom Walter’s 800th career win, while Rhett Lowder and Sean Sullivan combined to strike out 19 batters and allow just one hit in their starts.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The No. 4 Wake Forest baseball team moved to 7-0 with victories over Mount St. Mary's and Binghamton on Friday at David F. Couch Ballpark. 

With the Friday sweep, the Deacs moved to 7-0 for the second-straight season. The 2022 and 2023 Deacs are the only teams since 2000 to win its first seven games to open a campaign. 

Additionally, Wake Forest is 32-4 against non-ACC competition over the last two seasons, outscoring opponents 350-127 in those games. 

The Deacs continued to use all around team performances to fuel its perfect start. Coming into the second weekend of the season,  the Demon Deacon pitching staff led the ACC and ranked in the top-12 nationally in strikeouts-per-nine innings, strikeout-walk ratio, WHIP, ERA and hits-per-nine innings.

At the plate, Wake Forest was the conference's leader in home runs (second in the nation) and walks (third in the nation), while sitting in second in slugging percentage, hits and on-base percentage.

Overall, Wake Forest has outscored their opponents 89-12 to open the new campaign. The Demon Deacons are batting .351 as a team and hold a team ERA of just 1.48 with 96 strikeouts and 19 walks. 

Game One
Behind another electric outing from Sean Sullivan on the mound and 18 runs across 18 hits and four home runs, Wake Forest defeated Mount St. Mary's 18-2 in the opening game of the twin bill. 

Sullivan retired the first 16 batters of the game and had a perfect game through 5.1 innings. Overall, Sullivan punched out 11 and allowed just one baserunner in his six hitless innings of work. 

Ben Shenosky, Will Andrews, Zach Johnston and William Ray closed the game out over the final four innings, each tallying at least one strikeout. 

Offensively, Danny Corona launched two home runs with five RBIs. Justin Johnson led the Deacs with three hits to go along with four RBIs. 

Brock Wilken hit his fourth home run of the season to get the scoring started in the first inning. 

In addition to Corona, Johnson and Wilken, Tommy Hawke, Adam Cecere, Chris Katz and Gio Cueto also tallied multi-hit performances. 

Overall, this marked the third time in Wake Forest's last four games the Deacs have plated at least 18 runs. 

Game Two
Rhett Lowder, Crawford Wade and Chase Walter tossed a combined one-hitter to propel the Demon Deacons to a shutout victory to close out Friday's doubleheader.

This marked the first time since April 13, 2018 against Boston College a Wake Forest pitching staff allowed just one hit in a game.

After walking the second batter of the game, Reigning ACC Pitcher of the Year Rhett Lowder proceed to retire the next 16 batters, including a series of three-up, three-down innings. In the top of the fifth inning, Lowder tallied his seventh strikeout of the contest which marked the 200th strikeout of his Demon Deacon career. The strikeout completed an immaculate inning by the right hander.

The junior from Albemarle, N.C. held a no-hit bid into the sixth inning before it was broken up by a line-drive single to left. He finished the contest with seven innings pitched, eight punchouts and just two base runners allowed.

Crawford Wade and Chase Walter closed the door on the Bearcats, throwing a combined two innings and striking out three.

Offensively, Brock Wilken broke open the scoring in the first frame as he launched his fifth long ball of 2023, scoring Pierce Bennett to give Wake Forest an early 2-0 lead. Later in the same inning, Justin Johnson singled home Adam Cecere (double). 

Cecere extended the lead in the fifth as he drove in Bennett and Tommy Hawke, notching his second two-bagger of the game and increasing his RBI total to 14 on the season.

The Deacs earned their final run of the contest in the sixth inning as Kyle Joye pushed home Johnson to solidify the six-run win. 

How It Happened (Game One)

  • Sean Sullivan opened his first start as a Demon Deacon with a perfect three-up, three-down inning, including two strikeouts.

  • A pair of two-run home runs from Brock Wilken and Justin Johnson gave Wake Forest an early 4-0 advantage after one full frame. 

    • Wilken's fourth long fly of the season scored Pierce Bennett (walk) before Johnson's homer brought home Cecere, who singled after Wilken's home run. 

  • Sully made quick work of the Mountaineers in the top of the second, throwing another three-up, three-down inning. 

    • Sullivan added another punchout in the inning to increase his game total to three. 

  • Bennett notched an RBI-single in the bottom of the inning to increase Wake Forest's advantage to 5-0. 

    • Marek Houston was plated on Bennett's single to left field after the freshman led off the inning with a walk. 

  • Sullivan struck out the side in the top of the third as the lefthander retired the first nine batters he faced, highlighted by his six strikeouts. 

  • The Deacs plated three more runs in the bottom of the third to add to its lead (8-0). 

    • Gio Cueto started the two-out rally with an RBI-single to left field that scored Johnson (single and error). 

    • Another throwing error into Mount St. Mary's dugout on a grounder hit by Houston plated Cueto. 

    • Hawke capped off the frame with an RBI-single, second base knock of the game. 

  • Sullivan sat down the Mountaineers for the fourth-straight inning with two groundouts and a strikeout. 

    • Sullivan fanned seven of the first 12 batters he faced. 

  • The Deacs once again found the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI-groundout from Johnson and RBI-double from Chris Katz to add to its lead (10-0). 

  • Sullivan fanned two more Mountaineer batters in his fifth-consecutive perfect inning as the sophomore continued to deal. 

  • Six runs fueled by a pair of RBI-doubles from Cecere and Johnson as well as a three-home run from Danny Corona increased Wake Forest's lead to 16-0 after five full frames. 

  • Sullivan ended his outing in the top of the sixth with a pair of strikeouts and a fly out. 

    • Mount St. Mary's got its first base runner with two outs in the inning after a hit batter. Sullivan responded with his 11th strikeout of the game to end the inning. 

  • After Wake Forest was kept off the scoreboard for the first time of the game in the bottom of the sixth, Mount St. Mary's added a run with a solo shot to right field. 

    • Ben Shenosky recorded a pair of strikeouts while inducing an inning-ending groundout to strand a Mount St. Mary's baserunner. 

  • Another Corona home run plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh and increased the Demon Deacon advantage to 18-1. 

  • Will Andrews tossed a hitless top of the eighth with a pair of strikeouts. 

    • After conceding a leadoff walk, Andrews retired the next trio of Mountaineers with two punchouts and a fly out. 

  • Zach Johnston made his first collegiate appearance in the ninth, inducing the first two outs of the inning before Will Ray clinched the 18-2 victory with a strikeout. 

How It Happened (Game Two)

  • Rhett Lowder opened his second start of the season with a scoreless top of the first. Marek Houston made an outstanding play to end the frame and strand two runners in scoring position. 

  • Wake Forest jumped out to a 3-0 lead thanks to a two-run home run from Brock Wilken and RBI-single from Justin Johnson.

    • Pierce Bennett was plated on Wilken's second HR of the day after walking with one out. 

    • Adam Cecere (double) came around to score from second on Justin Johnson's rocket past Binghamton's first baseman. 

  • Lowder tossed a three-up, three-down second with an inning-ending strikeout as Wake Forest took its three-run lead into the bottom half of the inning. 

  • After the Deacs were kept off the board to end the second, Lowder once again retired the Bearcats in order with a flyout in foul territory, strikeout and groundout. 

  • Johnson (single) and Kyle Joye (walk) reached base in the bottom of the third, but a groundout stranded a pair. 

  • Lowder fanned two batters and forced a fly out to open the fourth as the Reigning ACC of the Pitcher retired 11 batters in a row dating back to the first inning.

  • Cecere's second double of the game scored Tommy Hawke and Bennett and increased Wake Forest's advantage to 5-0 after four full innings. 

  • Lowder continued to deal in the top of the fifth, striking out the side with an immaculate inning. 

    • The final strikeout of the frame marked the 200th punch out of his career. 

  • Wake Forest put a runner on with two outs as Tommy Hawke drew a nine-pitch walk. A deep fly out to right field stranded the sophomore. 

  • Lowder retired the opening two Bearcats of the top of the sixth with a flyout and groundout. After Binghamton notched its first hit of the game, Lowder induced an inning-ending groundout.

    • Over the course of the first through sixth innings, Lowder retired 16-straight batters. 

  • A two-out rally capped off by a Kyle Joye RBI-single extended Wake Forest's lead to 6-0 after six frames. 

    • Johnson started the rally with a walk. After Katz was hit by a pitch, Joye's strike to left field brought Johnson home from second. 

  • Lowder ended his second start of the season with another 1-2-3 frame, highlighted by the pitcher's eighth strikeout. 

  • Crawford Wade came in relief for Lowder in the eighth, retiring the Bearcats in order with two strikeouts and a fly out. 

  • Wade picked up the opening outs of the game before Chase Walter clinched the victory with a strikeout to end the game. 

Words From Walter
"Two good wins. Any time you get 13 out of 18 innings out of your two starters, that's a pretty good start to the day. I'm really happy with the way Sean Sullivan and Rhett Lowder threw the ball today. I was certainly pleased with our starting pitching.

"Offensively, quite honestly, not a great day again. Too many misses especially in that second game. Too many misses up in the air. I think of our 24 outs, we had four ground ball outs on the day and really only one of those was squared up, the last one by Kyle Joye in the eighth. Thankfully we got a big homer from Brock Wilken, a big day from Adam Cecere, and a big day, in both games really, from Justin Johnson. He had a good day all the way around. We're still not swinging the bat as well as we would like but managed to get two wins.

"Hopefully we will start to get a little rest. We are in a little tough stretch with a bunch of games in a short amount of time due to the schedule changes today. Seth Keener will start tomorrow and Michael Massey will come in behind him. We need to come out tomorrow and play well."

Standout Stat
With the Friday sweep, the Deacs moved to 7-0 for the second-straight season. The 2022 and 2023 Deacs are the only team since 2000 to win its first seven games to open a campaign. Overall, this year's team has the chance this weekend to become just the fifth team in program history to start a season 9-0.

Best Starts in Program History: 

- 9-0: 2022, 1964, 1961, 1949 

- 10-0: 2022, 1964, 1961, 1949

- 11-0: 2022, 1961, 1949 

- 12-0: 1949 

- 13-0: 1949 

- 14-0: 1949 

- 15-0: 1949

Coming into the weekend, Wake Forest was just one of three power five schools to have won five games already in 2023 (South Carolina and Alabama). 

Over the last two seasons, Wake Forest is 32-4 against non-ACC competition. The Deacs have outscored opponents 350-127 in those games. 

In The Spotlight
Wake Forest's 18-2 win against Mount St. Mary's marked Tom Walter's 800th career win as a head coach. 

In 27 years of coaching, Walter has posted a 801-661-1 mark at George Washington, New Orleans and Wake Forest. With the Demon Deacons' 6-0 win against Binghamton in the second game of Friday's doubleheader, Walter has won 373 contests at the helm of the Wake Forest baseball program. 

Reigning ACC Pitcher of the Year Rhett Lowder earned his second win of 2023 and the 17th victory of his career after striking out eight batters in seven innings against Binghamton.

With his seventh strikeout in the top of the fifth inning, Lowder amassed 200 punchouts in his career. 

Lowder is now just five victories away from entering the top 10 for career wins in program history. 

Wake Forest Career Wins

1. John Hendricks (1996-99)- 34 

2. Kyle Sleeth (2001-03)- 31 

3. Frank Humber (1986-89)- 29 

4. Parker Dunshee (2014-17)- 28 

5. Scott Siemon (1998-01)- 25  

     Mike MacDougal (1997-99)- 25 

7. Marc Palmieri (1990-93)- 24 

8. Eric Schmitt (1997-00)- 23 

9. Warren Newton (1978-81)-22 

     Moe Bauer (1947-50)- 22

Rhett Lowder (2021-Pres.)- 17

Additionally, Lowder is just 34 strikeouts away from entering the top 10 in career strikeouts.

Dating back to last season, Lowder has allowed three earned runs or less in 17 of his last 18 starts. 

Sean Sullivan has made an immediate impact in the Old Gold and Black as the lefthander has tossed 10 scoreless innings with 21 strikeouts and two hits allowed in two appearances.

Against Mount St. Mary's on Friday, Sullivan was electric on the mound. Sullivan retired the first 16 batters of the game and had a perfect game through 5.1 innings. Overall, Sullivan punched out 11 strikeouts and allowed just one baserunner in his six innings of work. 

Sullivan impressed in his Demon Deacon debut in Wake Forest's 8-1 victory against Illinois last Saturday as the Andover, Mass. native struck out 10 batters while allowing just two hits and one walk in four scoreless innings to earn the save.

Sullivan tallied at least two strikeouts in all four innings, highlighted by his trio of punchouts in the seventh and ninth. Additionally, Sullivan didn't allow more than one base runner in all four relief frames. 

Sullivan and Lowder combined for 20 strikeouts in the game, the most strikeouts by a Wake Forest pitching staff in almost two years (Coastal Carolina-Feb. 23, 2021).

On Deck
Wake Forest continues its eight-game home stand against Towson on Saturday, Feb. 25. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. and fans can tune into an audio streaming broadcast through the Wake Forest Athletics. 

Stay tuned to the Demon Deacons social media accounts (@WakeBaseball) for all in-game updates and information. 

Follow The Deacs:

GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook |

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Lowder, Rhett (2-0)

L: Thomas Babalis (1-1)

Base Running:

HBP: Kevin Gsell 1

Wake Forest LogoWake Forest

Batting:

2B: Hawke, Tommy 1 ; Cecere, Adam 2

HR: Wilken, Brock 1

RBI: Wilken, Brock 2 ; Cecere, Adam 2 ; Johnson, Justin 1 ; Joye, Kyle 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Hawke, Tommy 1 ; Bennett, Pierce 2 ; Wilken, Brock 1 ; Cecere, Adam 1 ; Johnson, Justin 1

HBP: Johnson, Justin 1 ; Katz, Chris 1

Game Leaders

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4
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1
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2
RBI
0
AB
3
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1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
2

Players Mentioned

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